Saturday, April 30, 2011

Sunny Saturday in the Garden!

Today was beautifully calm and clear so it seemed a good idea to spend time in the garden doing odd jobs and, at the same time, benefitting the puppies with plenty of fresh air and playtime.

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I thought I'd do things a little differently and show you our pavement garden before I lead you around the garden inside.

We are all responsible for the upkeep of our own pavements. Some homeowners choose to make a garden (as we've done) while others just keep the verges grassed or, in some instances, gravelled.

OK we're back inside now and walking around our front garden. As you can see, the pool cover is on for the start of the winter season and so Milo and Coco can play safely without any risk of falling in. They will be taught to swim properly next summer.

We are really fighting a losing battle with the small grassed area to your left. The puppies have been digging it up in chunks and with so much shade, it dies back considerably during our wet winter season.

This is the far end of the house with the raised terrace up on your left and our office/study area on the right where we spend our days with the puppies.

We are standing in the flowerbed on the top terrace looking down the length of the front garden. My greenhouse is out of sight at the far end behind the trees.

This is our bedroom end of the house. The pond is behind us to the left and my bedroom is on our immediate right.

See what I mean about perfect weather! The light fittings on the edge of the pool paving are solar powered. It looks so pretty lit up at night.

This is the garden behind the pond.

Same garden from the opposite side. My little coffee table and chairs are off to the left. That's my favourite spot to relax in summer, when I'm taking a gardening break.

The pond, before I worked on it today. I removed the cyperus and cut back a lot of the overgrowth to allow more light diffusion. These are all wide-angled shots, so things look a little distorted.

We are seriously considering removing the grass altogether this winter and replacing it with pavers, interplanted with greenery, as we spend the whole of summer getting it to grow and, as soon as the first winter rains arrive, it dies back rapidly and becomes a muddy nightmare with our dogs!

A section of the garden path that runs along the top length of the front garden.

From the garden path, looking across the top bed towards the house.

Every walk around my garden has to include a stop at the greenhouse. Most of my orchids have buds and I'm really looking forward to enjoying their blooms (I need to put down snail bait, pronto!)

These pictures were all taken by my husband, at my request at about 10h30 this morning, using his wide-angle lens. I got stuck into the garden afterwards and spent almost the whole day outdoors, with all the dogs keeping me company. My dear, sweet husband produced all our meals today and did a marvellous job, so I could garden without interruption. It's evening now. All the dogs are well-fed and napping after a busy day outdoors. I'm hoping tomorrow will be just as lovely, so we can pick up from where we left off today...and maybe I'll be spoilt with yummy meals prepared for me again :)

A day working in the garden is always so rewarding! Loved the look at your verge by the street. Glad you're having such nice weather. We are finally having a few spots of sunshine here today, and I'm thinking of going out in my garden to get a little work done, too.

You have such a lovely place and I know it takes a lot of work to keep it that way. Say thank you to your hubby for all the wonderful pictures. Seems he likes to cook as much as I do. It's about 4 PM on saturday and it has been a great day so far. Rocky & I managed to get a pile of limb debris burned that job is behind us. Take care and hope you had a good nights rest.Odie

What lovely photos your husband took for us, and what an enchanting garden. I love all the brickwork! It must take a lot of looking after to keep it looking so good. And what a lovely hubby to make all your meals for you so that you could get on with things. Wonderful!

I'm tempted to ask you what you do for a living. You literally live in paradise. From the other posts and this one as well, I gather it must have taken you years and a lot of patience and creativity to create that garden. I will also add that you have had a great architect build your house. I am taken aback with each photo and could only dream of living in a place like that.

As usual your picutres take my breath away. I'm acutally sorry you can relate to my plight with the mail lady. No one should have to suffer so. It is kind of funny now. I am terrified of that woman. People usually think of me as fealess and outspoken but I swear i hide from her at every opportunity!!! Have a great rest of your weekend and know I am jealous of your beautiful garden and sun!

Your gardens are such a credit Desiree. Your pavement area is the feature of the whole street. Since coming to your blog, I've been encouraging lots of ittle creepers around the base of trees and shrubs - they're easy to control and do such a great job of filling in the garden. Your pavement area shows that to good effect.It's just beautiful seeing around your home. The trees and ferns create lovely shadows. Lots of lovely places to sit and just 'be'- totally delightful, thanks for the stroll. Am sure your puppies enjoy every second of being out there too!

You have a beautiful garden and it must take time to care for it, but when it is beautiful weather it is very enjoyable. I used to spend whole days in the garden and hubby cooked too but now I can only do a few hours before my back complains. It is so frustrating. Your house and garden are lovelyIt must be full on training the dogs not to dig up the garden. Your green house is to die for. We get our rain in the summer and I wish it would hurry up and finish.

Desiree, What a fantabulous GREENHOUSE! WOW! I am in awe. And I simply love your pool. Your layout is very classy. The gardens are really lush and tidy looking. My gardens are pretty messy and hither, thither and yon. I wish I had a more controlled look in my yard, but I am trying.

Wow, you sure have a beautiful place! How cool that your husband prepared your meals today. Mine doesn't cook much, but he ended up fixing supper tonight, because I had gone to a wedding, then picked up our grandson from my parents' and took him home. I felt sorry for myself because it was a nice day, and I did not get to garden much. I did get some lettuce, greens, and spinach picked, though.

What a beautiful garden you have lucky you as some of us are not lucky enough to have a garden, although even if I did I would be making hubby work in it as I have black thumbs.......ya know what I mean I just have to touch a plant and it dies..........

Thank you all so much for your generous and unexpected compliments! Those of you who have read my profile and earliest posts will know that we started our garden from scratch, ourselves and with plenty of in put from my Mother, who has always made a garden wherever home has been (my parents have travelled a lot and lived all over as my Dad gets 'itchy feet'). We had a supertight budget at the time and put in hours and hours of hard slog. We built our house and have added on to it over the years, as and when we were able to do so. We have lived here for 28 years and so, what you see today, has been a long process. The layout of the garden has been entirely our 'design' and has had to evolve greatly over the years as additions were made to the house, we had the pool installed, extra paving done etc. It is the only home we've owned and we have put in huge amounts of effort in all the years we've been here to make it the way we want...prior to buying our plot and building, we'd lived in a block of flats and my garden consisted of 38 carefully tended potted plants, some of which were indoors with the balance on our small balcony. The home and garden I have now wasn't even a pipe dream in those days, LAVI :) Everything in life that is worthwhile is achieved through hard work and taking babysteps and obviously,looking after what one has.

In the last 2 years, we've been employing a once-a-week gardener to handle the mowing, edges, regular trimming of bushes and groundcovers etc. I still do all the 'manicuring' myself, but I've worked on having a garden that looks good through all seasons (lots of greenery) with few 'fussy' plants. Any colour I want is limited to pots, but we chose shrubs and bushes that flower at different times, so there's usually something pretty to enjoy apart from the overall greenery. I also truly believe a garden must be 'lived in' and that's why we've created a number of places to sit. Each one is different and affords a different aspect and atmosphere. It is worth investing in anything you love and that brings you joy and pleasure :)

I have also been truly blessed with a husband who not only does not possess a single lazy bone in his body, but who is capable and willing to tackle anything and make a success of it! Without him none of what I have today would have been possible.

Your garden is so immaculate and varied with all its different areas and levels, just gorgeous. You have so much green with all the stunning trees and plants, I reckon you could lose the aggravating grass area to gravel without missing it too much? Sounds like you are having fun with the pups!

I see, your garden is older than I am. You have really worked very hard for years and years to make everything the way it is today. You're right, sitting in the garden is very pleasant. I'm sure my dad would be very envious of how your home looks like, he's always wanted to move to a house.

I love your garden and I had to laugh about your 'itchy feet' comment. I, too, suffer from the condition. I have tried to stay put now that my kids are old enough to mind, but I couldn't help myself from looking at apartments in Hawaii online this morning.

That was one of the nicest compliments I have ever gotten! Thank you so much! I appreciate your pictures taking me to places I have never been and probably never will. You are a doll! Again you made me smile.

What a gorgeous garden! I can't imagine the time spent to make it so nice..I just cleaned out one planting area in my yard and it took me all day..and the results are not anything like yours! Thanks for the tour!

Desiree, you tyuly have a serene, cool tropical-looking garden that I'm sure brings you much joy. I'm glad you have a sitting area. It's so peaceful sitting (or collapsing) in a comfortable spot to call your own. I often bring a magazine or book out, but really never read, only look, look, look at the garden. Sue

Desiree, your gardens are beautiful! The green house is amazing. I've only recently had the desire to have one. How great that your hubby took on the cooking duties so you could do your gardening. BTW, I wish our winters were like that!!

This has been a wonderful ride around your garden, thank you!!! And your orquids in the great greengarden are gorgeous, good gardener you are!!!! I have to tell my husband about yours cooking for you while you are gardening, a spoiled lady I would love to be too!!!hugs